Jun 4, 2008 7:30 pm US/Eastern
PSC Wants Verizon Explanation On Unlisted Numbers
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (WJZ) ―
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The Public Service Commission wants Verizon to explain how it accidentally published nearly 13,000 unlisted numbers in the Washington County telephone directory.
AP
Every month, thousands of Verizon telephone customers pay extra to have their numbers kept private and unlisted.
As
Mike Schuh reports, those same people were shocked to open up a new phone directory and see their names and addresses printed in black and white.
The sign as you're entering Hagerstown says welcome, but only to a point. Some don't want their names, numbers and addresses in the phone book.
But a new directory just hit the streets. Verizon sold the data to the Ogden Publishing Company. Included were 12,000 unpublished numbers.
Verizon officials say they're looking into it and it appears to be an internal glitch.
For some of the folks wrongfully listed in the book, it's merely an inconvenience. For others, it's a safety issue.
"There's a reason they're unlisted," Police Union President Wayne Hose said. "Safety is paramount for our people."
The Public Service Commission is also upset, saying "As far as we're concerned, this was totally unacceptable."
"It's very upsetting because I've got some guys who need that security and now it's violated," Hose said.
Verizon is offering to refund the fee or change numbers for free. They say, "We apologize. It wasn't anyone else's fault; it was ours."
Of the 125 officers on the force, it's estimated 95% had unlisted numbers. Wayne Hose is one of them.
"The bell's been rung and there's no way to unring it. The info's out there now," he said.
Because of this foul-up, Verizon is being summoned before the Public Service Commission Thursday in Annapolis.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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